Chapter 385 - Always at Your Side (1/2)

Jinde felt a pang in his heart at Xin Lan's words. Right, he hadn't thought enough about it. He had only thought about himself and his pain upon losing Chun Yin back then. He hadn't really considered Xin Lan's feelings even though he had known him for so long.

”I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept it from you.”

Xin Lan smiled slightly. ”It's not a problem. I'm just happy that you're still alive. Whatever was before … it doesn't matter.”

Jinde nodded and gently stroked Xin Lan's cheek. ”How have you been these years? Jin Ling …”

”I accompanied him as you had wished.”

”Did he make a lot of trouble for you?”

Xin Lan shook his head. How could anything he did at his master's command ever be trouble to him? Sure, that brat was not that easy to handle but he would gladly endure it as long as that meant honoring his master's last … no, his master's wish. ”It wasn't a problem. He didn't make too much trouble for that Qiu Ling either.”

”Mn, I see.” Jinde nodded and looked up at the window. ”Qiu Ling … He was probably the one who told you about me?”

”Yes.” Xin Lan wasn't nice enough to clarify that Qiu Ling hadn't directly told him and only blurted it out when he thought nobody was listening.

”Well, he probably had trouble finding an ascended deity. It figures that he would go and ask you then. Did you take a look at that array? Were you able to help him?” He turned back to Xin Lan and a hint of worry crept into his voice.

Unwillingness rose in Xin Lan's heart. Why was his master so concerned about this? And why … ”Did you tell him back then already that you were here?” Xin Lan lowered his head immediately after blurting out this thought.

He knew it was impossible. He had been the one to get Qiu Ling after his master's supposed death. And he hadn't told him anything besides the fact that they needed him in the fight against the demons. He hadn't even told him that he was supposed to follow onto the throne. There was no way there could have been any hidden message for Qiu Ling that would reveal his master's whereabouts.

Jinde sighed and stood up. He stepped in front of Xin Lan and gently cupped both his cheeks. ”Xin Lan, I am really sorry. This shouldn't have happened. You shouldn't have … found out like this. But I can't change it. You can rest assured though that I didn't just not tell you. I told nobody. Qiu Ling didn't know either. He only found out on coincidence when he came here because of his beloved.”

”I see. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”

Jinde laughed lightly and wanted to bend down. Before he could move any further Xin Lan already got up and pulled him back up.

”You shouldn't move too much. You're still hurt. It would be best if you sat down again.”